


Red

by orphan_account



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: M/M, Thorbruce Week Day 6
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-05
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-22 10:30:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15579993
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Thorbruce Week Day 6Little Red Ridding Hood AU





	Red

_"Hey_ _Little Red Ridding Hood,_  
_You sure are looking good,_  
_You're everything Big Bad Wolf could want_ _."_

 

_Little Red Ridding Hood_ , Amanda Seyfried

 

______________________________________

 

  
Sun wasn't even visible through dense treetops of oaks and lindens, and the rays that succeeded in passing through sharp leafs were now dancing on the ground and making various shapes made of pure light.  
His attention had the one shaped like hammer.  
The breeze was lifting locks of his golden hair. Silence ruled between the trees and the only ones who shamelessly interrupted it were birds.  
He didn't mind, as their beautiful songs were always pleasant to hear.

 

It was almost noon and Thor walked, well more of jumped along the well known path to the other side of the forest, where lived Heimdall, the guardian of Bifrost.  
Everybody knew and respected him. With his friends and brother, Thor would go and play in the woods. And each time they would go to Heimdall and seek his stories. He would smile at their reguest. And at the end of the day he would always watch them go, his sword tight in his arms, like every second something could attack, and if that did happen, he would without doubt protect them and make sure they would leave safely, back to their parents and warmth of their houses.  
He knew everything that happens in the woods, and in the village. He still didn't understand how could Heimdall, as he never in his entire life has seen him in the village, could have know what happens.  
Villagers called him "The Allseeing One", and for unexpected things he could hear them say "Allfather this could not even Heimdall predict!" He remembered the times he tried to sneak up to him.  
He never succeeded.  
Somehow he always knew what he was planing. But he doesn't really have a say in that as it was his brother Loki who was the walking mischief. He rarely ever get caught, but it didn't matter, as everyone knew who was trickster in the village.

 

_"Why when some disaster happens, it is always me who is guilty?" complained annoyed Loki when Hogun accused him of stealing his wooden sword._  
_"You put Lady Freya's house on fire yesterday." stated Sif, as much annoyed as him._  
_"Well in my defence, she did kick Sleipnir!_ No-one _hits_ my _horse and gets away with it!"_  
_Nobody said anything against that. Maybe it was that they weren't interested in that topic anymore or it was the fact that they would do the same if someone hurt their horses. They shrugged and continued talking, the new topic of conversation being who out of them is the best at combat._  
_"Did you really do it?" whispered Thor when they were too deep into arguing to hear._  
_"Do what, brother?" asked Loki innocently._  
_"Stole Hogun's sword?"_  
_Little mischievous smirk played on trickster's lips "Oh brother dear, where is fun in telling you?"_

 

But as much as his brother was experienced in making trouble and not getting caught, even he could not escape the all-sight.

 

Every Monday, people of the village would send some kid to bring Heimdall enough food for whole week. The kids would swich and take meals to him. And now it was his turn. So early that morning, he got up, put his red cape on, took the basket with berries, bread, meat, bear and everything his mother prepared, and left the village.

 

He was well known for that cape of his. Even though everyone said it was a cloak. His mother made it for his 5th nameday and he hadn't took it off since. His father would say that he was attracted to it "like a child to a blanket", but he did not care. He indeed was child, but it wasn't a blanket that he was attracted to. He imagined himself a warrior, fighting in a battle, his scarlet cape behind him elegantly floating on the wind, his war roar echoing through battlefield, as loud as a thunder.

 

They called him Red.

 

_"Sun's going down. Sun's getting real low..."_ he happily sang to himself as he was hitting the rock on his way. It was an old melody, as old as time, a lullaby beautiful as the sundown it was singing about. When he kicked incorrectly shaped dirty white ball again, it rolled down the path where it stopped beneath the old, stone bridge covered in weed that was parting the two sharp cliffs.  
_Bifrost_. No-one knew how that it came to be or who made it. But everyone knew it's purpose. _"The Dark Forest"_ , thought the boy as he watched the other side of the cliff where woods were getting denser and darker.

 

Bifrost separated two forests of Asgard: The Light Forest, home of his people, and The Dark Forest. There he was not allowed to go. He heard the stories how there were not only wild animals, but creatures of all kind. Giants, dwarves, wolfs, fairies, demons, sorcerers and many others that they didn't even have name for. That is a place of myths and legends, the place where everything was possible.  
The place of magic.

 

He couldn not count how many times he and his friends tried to go there, to cross the bridge and step into the mystic forest. Even Loki tried to do it, and united with Sif. _Loki_ uniting with _Sif_.  
_Uniting._  
If these two who despised each other were ready to work together to succeed, Thor could only imagine how bad they wanted to go there.  
He wanted to go there too, Allfather help him he wanted it _so much_.  
But Heimdall, as he could see everyhing, catched them everytime.  
It wasn't helping that he was never leaving the bridge.  
The only people that went there were the warriors in the times of war. Ones of those people were his parents. Odin would tell him of all the creatures he slaved. He was too happy to share those stories. _To happy and too proud_. He spoke of monsters hiding in the dark, luring, _corupting_ people and waiting for perfect time to came out and bring chaos and death to them.  
As much as his father spoke about how cursed that place was, his mother described the beauty of it. 

 

_"Beauty is in the eye of the looker. To see beauty you have too see it with your own eyes", said the woman as she braided her child's hair._  
_"But mother", sleepily whispered innocent little voice "why didn't father see beauty like you did?"_  
_"Yeah", said other little voice "he always speaks ill of that place."_  
_For few moments the woman said nothing. And then, with a sigh, she looked them with tired, sad eyes that reflected wisdom that came with price._  
_"You can't see beauty if you watch world with pride and prejudice."_  
_And then she started singing, her getle voice mixing reality of two boys with dreams "Sun's going down..."_

 

"Greetings, son of Odin."  
Thor blinked, as he was broked out of his memories by guard's gentle yet strong voice. He didn't even noticed him.  
"Hello Heimdall!", said Thor happily.  
Heimdall haven't said anything to that. He just stood there, looking at him with his eyes that were the color of the tree bark.  
Heimdall was built like you'd expect for the guard. Big, strong and intimidating. But contrary to that, his eyes were warm and trustworthy. Heimdall was loyal and wise man, who wouldn't fight if not needed to.  
And Thor felt safe with him.  
"I brought you meal."  
"I know, I saw."  
_Here it goes again_.  
"You know, Loki cu-"  
"I know I saw", cutted him Heimdall with same sentience "and I am not surprised of what Loki did. He and Lady Sif are on each other's throats since moment they met."  
"Still cutting her hair is crossing a line."  
"You speak the truth, son of Odin. It indeed, was an unnecessary act."

 

They stopped talking about Loki and Sif's fight and Thor again listened to guardian's teles, his child mind leaving reality and traveling to far places where the man's words were leading him.

 

______________________________________

 

"You shall go now, Thor", said Heimdall "it is getting late."  
The boy groaned. _Why do I have to go home?_  
"Are you aware that you said that out loud?" asked the guard and Thor could swear he looked amused.  
"But I do not want to go! And my nameday will be on sunmer, and I small be nine! I am old enough to be here until the dawn!"  
"Even if you were forty years old, it would still be dangerous to you. Imagine how dangerous it is then to you now, when you only have been alive for eight years?"  
"But you are here all the time!"  
"I am here because it is my duty to watch over the Bifrost."  
Thor pounded. He didn't find any of that fair.  
"You want to cross the bridge." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. He did not have anything to say to that. What was there to say? Instead he just sat there, drawing nonsense in the sand with some stick he found.  
He could hear Heimdall sigh. Even he who was the warrior, was not cold hearted.  
"Perhaps, one day," he said "you _will._ "  
"And when will that day be?"  
Heimdall spoke slowley, wisely, chosing his every word "I can only see what is the present, not the future. But I believe when I say that answer that you seek will come to you with time."  
Thor nodded even if only thing he could think is _more waiting_. He again looked at mysterious bridge.  
"Alright Heimdall. I shall listened to you. But do not expect me to stop trying."  
"I didn't mean to. After all you do have your father's stubbornness."  
"Well then I shall go. Goodbye Heimdall!" said the child.  
"Goodbye Thor."

 

And with wave, the boy disappeared among the bushes and into the hands of the trees.

 

______________________________________

 

He walked back to the village. It was dawn and he new better than to stay in the forest at night. 

 

But he had some bad feeling.  
It was like he knew something will happen. Like a instinct he didn't knew he had, non-existing whispers telling him something he couldn't hear. He couldn't shake the restlessness in his body.

 

_Go back._

 

He was fighting the need to turn around and run back to the bridge. He wasn't afraid of these woods. He felt _safe_ in them. Thor grown up here. _Still is growing up here_. He couldn't count how many times he was in hunt with his father. Or games he played with his friends and brother. All the hide and seeks in safety of bushes and trees. No, this forest was his home. And his home was part of him, part that he knew by heart.

 

He was afraid of what could wait him by the cliff.

 

The whispers turned into voices. With time voices became screams.

 

_GO BACK GO BACK GO BACK GO BACK_

 

Then all of it stopped. There was nothing. Just perfect silence.

 

And then came the sound, barely a whisper:

 

_go back_

 

And Thor did.

 

______________________________________

 

By the time he got to the Heimdall's cottage, it was already night and Heimdall wasn't there. Thor felt uneasy. He have never seen that he left his place by the cliff.

 

_Something must have happened._

 

Slowly he walked to the cottage. He saw a stick with which he was drawing. When his shaking hand took the wooden weapon and his little fingers gripped it tight, he glanced at the doors that weren't closed.  
He took a step towards them. He could feel his heart beating faster. _You came here by your own will. You are only one responsible for what happens to you. You should of gone home._  
No.  
_Yes, it is dangerous, but what if Heimdall needs me? I must do this_.

 

He took a deep breath. 

 

_"Breathe, Thor", said his father as Thor was holding a bow in one, and arrow in other hand "You need to_ breathe. _"_  
_Behind the trees was the deer he should of shoot with the same arrow he held._  
_"_ Concentrate. _You will not become the warrior if you do not focus on your enemy."_  
_He watched the deer who was drinking water of the small lake, oblivious to them, and the danger it was in._  
_"But deer isn't my enemy."_  
_"Do you want me to kill it?"_  
_Thor focused on those dark eyes. Eyes full of life. It doesn't matter if it was him or his father who will make an arrow fly, it will go to it's target. And life will slowley leave those eyes._  
_He could miss. He_ would _miss. And then deer would live._  
_B_ ut he had his mother waiting at home. His brother waiting. Waiting for dinner. That was the burden of the hunter. They lived with nature. They were looking at its beauty everyday. But they had to make the same beauty bleed. Cause they didn't had only their lifes to keep. And they lived by nature's rule - eat or be eaten.  
_And_ _Thor would be damned it he let his little brother starve._  
_So he let the arrow fly._

 

The door creaked as he pushed them with peak of the stick. He looked inside the house.  
The room was as clean as always. Heimdall could sometimes be very  
neat. Books were sorted on big shelf made of pine tree. There were all kind of books. Loki loved to came and read them. Thor never was really that fond of reading as he was tireless and he could never sit still. He loved to _do_. He would run, climb, jump but never sit. But he did enjoyed stories and he loved when someone would read to him. He loved when Loki would read. He had the voice of a taleteller. He was also called Silvertongue. His every sentience, every word was always well chosen before said. He always had a feeling of pride as his baby brother pronounced the words written on paper, or when he would outsmart someone.  
He looked at the rest of the house. Everything seemes to be on it's place.  
He glanced at the wooden table. On it was the basket that he brought early this day. He opened it. _Nothing was even touched._ Heimdall didn't even had time to eat before he left.

 

_That means nothing good._

 

He came out of the house and looked around. And then checked if there were any traces of someone, or _something_ , that could've been here.  
He didn't find any.  
He stood up, turning around and observing the place. Still holding the stick, he walked around. His every sense was tense. He had to be prepared for _anything._

 

Bifrost. 

 

Heimdall must've crossed it. Or that or he went elsewhere, but Thor doubt that. 

 

_Should he go there?_

 

He knew that he should not. But this time it was not just his childish curiosity, this time it was Heimdall his reason to go.  
And then felt something luring him towards the bridge.

 

_Calling him._

 

It was like gravity. He could feel it pulling him to it. He couldn't fight it, neither he tried to. Again he could hear the voices. But this time they were softer yet louder, and he could tell where they were coming from.

 

_The Dark Forest._

 

Should he be afraid? Should he run? He did not know. He did not feel scared, but neither he felt secure. He felt... _sleepy._

 

_Come son of Odin. Come to us_ _._

 

He could feel his lashes becoming heavy.

 

_Everything will be well._

 

And then he saw them.

 

Beautiful burning blue light, floating in front of him, on the beginning of the bridge. 

 

_The w_ _isps._

 

They were said that if you follow them they shall lead you to your fate.

 

Voices became quieter. Softer.

 

_Cross the bridge little one._  
_Come with us._

 

He believed the voices.  
He followed the wisps.  
He stepped on the bridge.  
Was it his imagination or illusion or reality but the bridge was no longer of stone but glass that shone with all the colors visible to the human eye.

 

______________________________________

 

As he crossed Bifrost, he snapped out of whatever trance he was in. _What has he done?_ He was in forbidden forest. To him an unfamiliar place. At night.  
_Alone._  
He wanted to turn around and go back when he remembered Heimdall. He was somewhere in this forest. _At least he thought so._ But what if he wasn't? What if Heimdall was somewhere in The Light Forest and he came here in vain?  
He thought about that possibility.  
_You already came here. Haven't you wanted to go here so bad after all?_  
He never thought he would regret it.  
_Careful what you wish for._  
He turned to look at bringe again only to more trees instead of the cliff. He could feel himself panicking. Where did it disappear?

 

It was impossible.

 

And then he realized how impossible was not something known in this place.

 

_There is no going back now._

 

Gods if he returns alive, Sif will kill him. Warriors Three and his parents will probably all give him bear hug. Loki will stab him for going without him.

 

He observed the outfield around him. To the eyes, it looked like perfectly ordinary forest. But he knew better that to believe on the first sight.

 

_Where should I go now?_

 

He didn't know these woods. He didn't know _what_ was in these woods.  
And he did not know where Heimdall would have gone.

 

And then he saw them again. Or rather saw _it,_ as there was only one wisp now.  
He carefully got closer to the floating azure flame. For a few moments he stood there in front of it, looking at it with wonder. And when his hand reached for it, it scattered.  
There, little farther floated another one. Ans behind that one there was another. And so went on. Thor walked in the line that wisps made and as he would get closer to them they would disappear like they weren't existing at all.

 

______________________________________

 

Thor silently walked through the forest, trying not to make too many sounds. He did not want to attract attention from anything that was around here. As he walked deeper into the rows of the trees, there was more lack of light and he could feel magic getting stronger by every step he took.  
Still he couldn't help but admire the forest. It looked so... _alive._ It looked like it was breathing. And magic was its air. 

 

Even though he enjoyed his walk he knew he must not let his guards down. This forest was full of creatures and he doubted that all of them would have a peaceful conversation with him.  
And after all, he had a guard to find.

 

The furder he went, the less wisps was there, and colder it was becoming and you could see a little bit of snow on the ground. He was trembling when the last wisp scattered. Thor tighten his cape around himself to warm up a little.  
"What now?" he asked himself.  
But it wasn't the cold that worried him as much as the feeling that someone was _watching_ him.  
After a while he decided to continue walking and looking for Heimdall.

 

When he could not walk anymore, he sat under the closest tree. He was cold, tired and scared.

 

He wondered why he even thought about returning back home.

 

And then he heard a shuffling. His heart stopped. He watched with wide eyes for anything that moved, his grip on stick he still had with him tightening.  
"Well, well. Look what we have here", said a cold, deep, almost mumbled voice just behind him.  
_Inhunam voice._  
"Or is my sight getting bad, or is that a human child I see", said other, equally horrible voice from the other side of the tree.  
Fast as lightning, Thor stood up and moved away from the place he was sitting. Even in this dark he culd see big blue forms with glowing bloody eyes.  
_Frost giants._  
"Well, hello there little Red", said the right one while licking his sharp teeths "what is pretty boy like you doing here all alone?"  
Thor was paralyzed with fear.  
"You know what they say", said the other and grin was getting its way on his lips. It was a terrible thing to see. "The prettier they are to an eye..."  
"...the more delicious they will be", finished the first.

 

He ran.

 

It was like the game of tug, except here you didn't have second try. He felt his tired legs moving with their last parts of straight they had, his body pushing itself beyond the limits. But limits didn't even exist now that there was only one rule - rule of hunter and the hunted.  
And he was the second.  
He could hear them laughing, getting closer. For them it _was_ a game of tug. The game in which they were winning. It was easy to them to hunt down a boy like him. Easy to them to catch him and say "Tag you're it." And only just now he felt so little and helpless. Only now he realized how right Heimdall was. He was never safe in place such like this, where human was like an ant comparing to beings that lived here.

 

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder, strongly pulling him backwards and he fell into the bushes behind the tree.

 

Blue eyes locked with brown ones. He blinked once. Twice. In front of him was not a frost giant, but a boy, such as him. One of his hands were on Thor's mouth, and the other was firmly holding his arm. He slowly let him go, while still covering his mouth, and pressed finger to his own. _Quiet._ Thor nodded, and the boy nodded back. They understood each other. Then they looked thought the frozen leafs of the bush. In front of the bushes stood the giants, cursing of their failed attempt to catch the child.  
Neither of them dared to breath. They waithed there. It felt like hours passed until the giants weren't in their vision anymore. When they made sure they left, the boys got out of their hiding spot.  
"Well that was a close one", muttered the boy under his breath.  
Thor only then got to really see him. He wore worn out clothes - pale purpule shirt and dirty pants on which could see stains of mudd on it. He had dark curly hair and his skin was the color of melted cream of hazelnuts his mother cooks.  
What _reall_ y got his attention were wolf ears and tail with green fur.  
"Why did you help me?"  
There was no way a creature would help him out of goodness of their heart.  
Maybe he wanted to eat him too.  
"Well you were in trouble", replied he.  
An unpleasant silence fell benith them.  
"You...you came from the other side?" asked wolf-featured kid.  
Thor didn't say anything at first. Should he trust this boy? He didn't know him. He was obviously some kind of creature. And he did meet him in The Dark Forest.  
But he _did_ safed his life.  
Thor looked at the boy's face again. His face was down, looking at his bare feets, but he could see it was soft and unsure, his big chestnut eyes warm. He couldn't see any wickedness in those eyes.  
"Aye, unknow friend of mine", big cheasy smile found its way on little boy's pink lips "I indeed am from the other side of the bridge."  
Boy smiled, now less tense "You speak funny."  
Thor frowned "I do not!"  
But the boy just giggled, and Thor found himself relaxed at the sweat sound.  
"What are you even doing here? You know how dangerous it is here?"  
"I am looking for a guard of the Bifrost"  
"The bridge?"  
"Yes, the bridge."  
"Oh, that big intimidating guy with big sword and golden eyes?"  
"I do not think we speak of the same man, as the Heimdall I know has brown eyes."  
"Maybe it's his disguise", stated boy thoughtfully.  
"Of what disguise you are talking about?" asked confused Thor.  
"Well, when someone wants to covers their magic features, they use simple speall for disguise."  
"Heimdall is not any kind of creature! He would tell us if he was!"  
"What makes you so sure of it?" asked boy, quieter this time, and he knew that there was something behind said words.  
But Thor knew better than to dig when things become personal.  
"Thor."  
"What?"  
"That is my name. And yours is...?  
For a moment boy didn't say anything. He stood there, looking at Thor with some unreadable expression on his face.  
"Bruce", he finally said.  
"Well Bruce", smiled Thor warmly "it is a honor to meet you."

 

______________________________________

 

"YOU ARE REALLY WILLING TO ASSIST ME IN MY SEARCH FOR HEIMDALL?" screamed Thor. God, how could someone be so loud? And _so_ cheerful. He didn't think he would be that happy when he told him that he'll help him find whoever he was looking for. And what was with all that formal words?  
"We have to talk quieter, do you want other creatures to find us?"  
"Oh. My apologies. I shall not yell anymore", whispered the boy.  
"You don't have to whisper you know."  
But Thor wasn't listening as he started walking on some random way.  
"Where are you going?"  
"Heimdall could be _anywhere_! So I shall look _everywhere_!"  
_What a logic._ But he couldn't really blame him, after all he was in the unfamiliar place looking for a person he cared about. And he still was a child, just like he was.

 

Bruce was curious. He's never seen somebody from The Light Forest before. His father, when he was in good mood and not figure in his life that he feared of, which were rear occasions, told him about people there. People without magic.  
He said that in the time of war there were hundred warriors, riding on horses, caring silver swords. Stories about bloodthirsty, heartless soldiers killing everything in their sight. Man, woman, children - no one escaped and no one was spared.  
They were the things he feared.  
He expected if one day he faces lodger of the other side, he will surely die.

  
But when he looked at the boy before him he thought how he never expected someone from Light Forest would be so...well, _light_ _._

The boy was a shorter than him by inch, had golden hair a bit above his shoulders that reflected the moonlight that was coming through treetops, and clean clothes, well clean as they could be after falling into bushes, and wore long red cloak that in the dark looked like it was made of ripe cherry. His skin was tanner, which was probably result of sun he was leaving under.  
But it was his eyes that captured him.  
Blue as blue can be. They were like sky, so big and bright. And like the sky he compared them to, they made him feel... _free_. Looking at them he felt as he could fly. Fly towards them. He felt like they were silently casting a spell at him, binding him to their owner.

 

"Perhaps you are right. I shall ask you where should we go."  
Bruce blinked. He was so lost in his thoughts that he forgot that he promised the upset boy that he'll help him find his friend. _A guard friend. Full-grown guard friend_. A warrior _friend._  
_He is_ _so screwed now._  
"Emmm...", he had to think. Where whould a warrior go?  
"You...do know where should we go?" asked unsure blonde.  
"Yeah! Yeah...", _who is he kidding_ "...actually no. I don't know where your friend would've gone."  
Thor's face fell and in split of second lightened up again "Maybe we should look for the guy with golden eyes you were speaking of! He may know where is Heimdall!"  
"That's not how things work here..."  
"And what is the meaning of that?"  
"Well, here you don't just go around and ask 'Hey there, have you seen my friend'."  
He walked to the boy and looked around, watching for any kind of threat.  
"Here you try to not make sound. You don't talk with people. It's best even if you don't even _s_ _ee_ people."  
He paused to again look at azure orbs that were focused on him.  
"Here only rules are the ones of the hunt. And here, the hunt is never over."  
"Well, then is the good thing that I was in hunts before?" smiled the boy yet again, staying impossibly optimistic.  
"None of them could've been like this one."  
They stood stood there, looking at each other, waiting to see who will break eye contact first.  
At the end it was Thor that looked away, and said thoughtfully  
"You are right. I am not experienced in these woods. This is your field...and I shall follow you."  
"Well, we can follow the guy I saw, if that's our only lead."  
The boy looked back at him and Bruce could see determination in his posture.  
"Lead the way."

 

______________________________________

 

He does not know for how long have they walked. He knew that it was still night. When he came into the forest it was wisps that were lightning his path and it was not that dark. But now there was no light, and he couldn't see _anything._ Bruce was the one leading. He wondered how if he could see in the dark or it was that he knew this place well.  
_Probably both._  
"Do you see me?" asked Bruce.  
"No, not really."  
There was the silence.  
"Are you still here?"  
"Yeah, I'm just thinking."  
Then Thor got an idea.  
"Perhaps he could hold each others hand!"  
" _What?_ "  
"We can hold each others hands and that way I will not lose you in the dark!" said Thor proudly. He was glad that he found solution.  
But it was greeted with silence.  
"Bruce?"  
"I don't really want to hold hands."  
He was confused. "Why not?"  
"I just don't, okay!" said Bruce his voice now having angry undertone.  
"Okay", softly said Thor, knowing better than to anger the strange boy.

 

No-one said anything. They just kept walking, both deep into their thoughts.

 

"I'm sorry."  
Thor was taken aback when the boy spoke, as he wasn't expecting him to be that close to him. They were almost touching with their shoulders.  
"There is nothing for you to apologize for."  
"I snapped at you. That wasn't nice of me", quietly spoke the taller one, almost guilty "I just... I'm not used to touches. And the ones I get are usually not cosy."  
Thor tried to imagine how the boy looked now, his pensive eyes fixed at the ground, butting his lip, running hand through his curls, his ears down like puppy's when it was sad.  
"Bruce it is all right. It was not my wish to upset you. I deeply apologize, I will chose my words wise from now on."  
He heard chucking "Again with the funny way of speaking."  
"So I open up my heart to you and you laught", joked blonde.  
That caused Bruce to panicky speak with speed he thought not possible for any being.  
"NO,nononoyougotitallwrongIwasn'ttryingtooffendyouIt'sjustthatyourwayofspeakingisstrangenotthatyou'restrangeyouarebrilliantIjustneverheardsomwonetalklikethatbeforeevenformalyandI-"  
"Bruce, Bruce", somehow Thor's hand found its way to shoulder of curly haired boy " _Bruce._ I was joking. All is well."  
Bruce then cracked into laugh. Thor joined him soon after.

 

They laughed together, and for short time the dark and their fears were forgotten in the sound of the other's joy.

 

______________________________________

 

"Are we lost?"  
"No! Of course not! I perfectly know where are we going!"  
They've been here for hours. They were at open place between the trees. Bruce was muttering something to himself and turning in all existing directions. Thor sat in the middle of the opening and tore the piles of short grass. Moonlight shone upon woods with its weak bluish light.  
At the end Bruce trow his hands in the air and sat next to him.  
"Where are we even suppose to go?" asked Thor.  
"The guard you saw went on the path that should be the path to lake. Well if the lake hadn't moved it would be easy to find it", sighted he frustrated.  
"If lake hadn't _moved_?" _Wait, what?_  
Bruce nodded "Yes...? Wait, your lakes doesn't move?"  
Thor stared at him.  
"Does _anything_ from where are you from move?"  
He shoke his head.  
"Well, here everything moves. The lakes, rocks, rivers, _everything._ " He took some grass himself and started cutting it with his nails. "Yesterday lake was here. But now it moved to other location. And from that location it will move to other and so on. It's how it is."  
Thor let this information sink in. "How do we know where lake will be next?"  
"We don't."  
"So we are back on the beggining?"  
"It looks like it."  
_Great._

 

For a long time they just lied in u the glass, illuminated by moon. They decided to stay there till the morning. Neither spook. There was no need to. They enjoyed in sounds of the night, crickets singing, wind blowing through the trees. There were also sounds he couldn't recognize, but Bruce did not look infected by them, so Thor just listened to them and absorbed them.  
"It's shame that there aren't any stars now."  
Bruce turned towards Thor "Do you like stars?"  
"Yes, my mother and brother watch them all the time. And father would join sometimes. But usually it is just three of us."  
He smiled at the memory.  
"Mother would tell us stories about how they came to be. She is amazing storyteller, I think my brother got that from her."  
Bruce was quiet.  
"Me and my mom used to watch stars too..." there was hesitation in his voice "That was before I came here."  
"You are not born in The Dark Forest?" asked Thor surprised.  
"...No. Before that I lived with my mom on the edge of Midgard. You know where it is?"  
"Yes", replied he "that is neighbor region of Asgard."  
"Have you ever wondered why are they called that?" thought Bruce out loud "l mean, I get why the parts are called Light and Dark Forest, but really why together are they called Asgard? Or why Midgard? And please don't feel offended but Asgard sound a lot like 'ass-gard'."  
If anyone else said that Thor _would_ feel offended. But now he just laughed "It does sound like a bad joke."  
Bruce chuckled before he became serious again.  
"She was the most beautiful and woman and amazig woman I've meet, she was human just like you, you know?" said he quietly, almost like to himself.  
"And your father?"  
His expression darkened in a second "I don't want to talk about him. But no, he wasn't human", his sight traveled to Thor's face "and neither am I."

 

And Thor watched those black orbs, the way moonlight was swinging in their dark. He felt as he could get lost in that darkness. To fall and never see the light on the day again. He felt as there was _something_ in that darkness waiting for him. And he found himself wanting that. Wanting to run into that blackness and to feel that something wrap around him and to not let go.  
He found himself feeling _safe_ in that darkness.

 

"I kind of figured that when I saw your dog tail and ears."  
Bruce then rolled those dark orbs that Thor was starring into " _Wolf_ ears."  
Thor laughed "okay _wolfie._ "  
_Wolfi_ e looked at him like he had two heads. _Wait, two-headed people are probably ordinary here. He will have to find something else to compare to Bruce's blank face._  
"Y-You-You are not..."  
His jaw dropped and was like that for few seconds.  
"You are not... _afraid_ of me?"  
He said it so unbelievably.  
"Bruce, for this short time I have spent with you, I saw no reason to be afraid", he said it so easy, _honestly_.  
"You haven't seen my other side", darkly responded Bruce "I am _monster_."  
"No, you're not."  
"How can you be so sure?!" Thor could hear doubt and hate in his voice.  
_Hate of himself._  
Thor slowly turned towards the bigger boy. He watched those teary eyes, how much pain they hid. Bruce may have been child just like he was, but he had soul of a wise man, soul that have seen too much, and child that was forced to grow up too soon.  
He watched that soul and find it beautiful to look at.  
"Bruce, you are not a monster", he said slowly so his words would sink "Monsters do not help lost boys in the woods. When you hid me from those frost giants they could of find you too. You risked your own life to safe mine. You decided to help me find Heimdall even if you did not have to. And I am forever grateful for that. You are brave and selfless. And you are my friend."

 

Sapphires stared into chestnuts.  
Then they looked away, each on their own way. Just then Thor realized how cold it actually was.  
"It is a cold night. Take my cape and cover yourself. I do not wish for you to catch cold."  
Bruce looked confused.  
He took it off and cover himself with one side, and reached its other end to Bruce.  
"Oh you mean your cloak."  
"It is a cape."  
"It is a cloak."  
"Are you mimicking my way of speaking to show me you are correct?"  
"Maybe", said Bruce with little smirk and Thor rolled his eyes.  
"It's a cape."  
"Whatever you say, Red", said Bruce as he cuddled closer to blonde and covered with cloth colored like ripe cherry.

 

It was almost midnight when Thor felt a hand arond his middle, pulling him closer to the sleeping form by him, and he felt as all the stars were there, and he found himself in their hug.

 

______________________________________

 

He didn't wake up in the same place where he fall asleep. No, when he woke up he looked through his lashes only to find that he was in dark, wet room. He quickly sat up and looket at his new ambiance. Walls were made of stones and looked worn out rotten and there were attracted to them.  
Much for his misfortune, on some spots was blood.  
Then he realized that Thor was not with him.  
He tried to stand up only to be stopped by something pulling him back.  
_Chains._  
Where in _hell_ was he?  
He needed to find Thor and get out of here. He tried to break the iron chains that embraced his hands.  
Unsuccessful try.  
Another unsuccessfully try.  
And another one.  
"Don't bother. I myself tried it too many times."

 

Bruce jumped at sudden voice. He turned and saw a creature made of rocks, it was man he could tell, very strongly man who's age he couldn't tell.  
Creature waved friendly at him. "Hello. I'm Korg."  
He blinked "Bruce."  
"Nice to meet you Bruce."  
Well at leat it was a nice roommate.  
"Korg, where are we?"  
"In a cell."  
_Thank you I haven't noticed myself._  
"No, I not what part of the forest? Around which lake, river?"  
"Oh. Well, we're at Grandmaster's."  
"Whos?"  
"Grandmaster. He runs the place."  
_Well great. Self loving bastard. Who calls themselfs 'Grandmaster' anyway._  
"I need to get out", muttered he under his breath.  
"I said it before, I've tried it before. It's imposible."  
"Are you seriously saying that when we literally live in magic forest?"

 

______________________________________

 

He has been here for _hours._ He woked up on the a unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people, _chained._ And without Bruce. Can you blame him for punching that creepy little elv?  
At least he still had his cape with him.  
Elv sat in one corner, holding his jaw that was punched. Since Thor woke up he was cursing him. Half of said things he did not even listened. Next to him was one dwarf. And he was _huge._ He was sitting and he still had to bend to fit in the room. And still his head was hitting the ceiling. Why did fairytales describe them as short people?  
"You moron!" roared wounded one "My nose is now broken!"  
"It was your fault. You were being creepy", stated dwarf.  
"Well Eitri, someone gets 'stranger - danger' to seriously. I'm only surprised that human child could hit that hard..."  
"Then I shall hit you again If you find it that impressing", said Thor with such sharpness you wouldn't thought kid could have. He would usually apologize, but the creepy elv was being really rude.  
"You dare to say to threat me?" said mad elv.  
"It is not a threat, but a promise."  
They glared at each othed. Next to them big man laughed "I like him, he's got the fire."  
"I'm delighted", spited smaller creature.  
It was too ironic to be real to Thor: one giant man and one little man. One was nice, other was a snake. They were polar opposites.  
"How did you end up here anyway?" asked said giant.  
"I have no idea I woke up here with _him_ ", pointed Thor at the elv in the corner "being right next to me watching me like he wished to eat me."  
"Well I think that would have been better, would it?" said the creature through his teeth.  
"Hugo, behave, and no, I didn't mean how you ended up here with us. I meant how did you ended up in this _forest_ in the first place. There is on humans here."  
Thor observed is there any danger in telling them. There was not really many things that they could do with that information. And he could not care less for their opinions on his doings.  
Especially not for elv's.  
"I was looking for a friend of mine."  
Dwarf, Eitri, hummed in understanding "And for how long have you been looking for them?"  
Thor really had no idea. He was in the forest when the night started. And he did not know for how long was he here.  
"One night. Maybe day?"  
"Well your friend is surely dead by now", said irritated voice from other side of the room.  
"Aren't elves suppose to be nice?" snapped Thor.  
"Aren't humans _not_ suppose to be here?" snapped elv back.  
" _Enough_ ", said dwarf sharply, and for the first time he sounded like he looked - intimidating.

 

Hours passed and Thor was sitting by the wall, thinking about where Bruce could be now, while his two cellmates chated about whatever topics that could be brought on.  
"Hey Red, you never told us your name."  
"It is Thor."  
"Red suits you better."

 

______________________________________

 

Bruce wondered what Thor was doing right now. _Was he here? Was he hurt? Was he even_ aliv _e?_  
_Has he left his?_  
Million thoughts ran through his head and all of them were about Thor. He never in his live meet someone who _radiated_ with positive energy such like him. Like a sun he shone upon the others. Or at least it was only his case. He saw the way his blue eyed friend looked at his new surrounding. There shone wonder and awe ans curiosity, and Bruce could feel his heart jumping at the sight of the boy with red cape.

 

It could be heard a sound of iron door opening, and before he could realize what was happening, two large armed mans came into the room and carried them out of it. Or at least they carried _him_. Korg normally walked out of the cell.  
"Korg, what is happening? Where are they taking us?" asked boy when they putted him down and they were walking through the dark tunnel.  
"To the construction site", said he simply.  
"Construction site of what?"  
"Arena."  
He must of hasn't heard it clear.  
" _Arena?!_ "  
"Yes."  
"Like _real_ arena?!"  
"Yes."  
"Place where people fight with ACTUAL weapons?!"  
"Yes, I think it's its purpose."  
_What_ wa _s going on here?!_  
"Who needs arena?!"  
"Grandmaster apparently."  
" _WHY?_ "  
"I don't know, ask him."  
_Ask crazy maniac that captured you why is he building a arena._  
Yeah...no.  
"Gosh, I just hope Thor isn't in all this mess..."  
"Who is Thor?"  
"A friend of mine. I think he's my friend I mean he said it himself. Through we know each other like one night. He is blonde and wears a red cloak, although he says it's a cape. He is a bit loud, but he is nice. _The nicest_ actually. There is _something_ about him...I just...I don't really know..."  
"It looks like you have complicated relationship with this boy that gives you feelings you don't quite understand, and distance from him makes you sad", stated the man of rocks.  
" _What?!_ NO! You got it wrong! It's nothing like that!" he could feel himself going red in face. _"_ _Note to myself: NEVER talk with random creature about your social life."_

 

"Look. We're here."

 

Next thing he felt was being temporary blinded by the light of the day.

 

______________________________________

 

Thor fighted on every step they were making, and it took them a long time to come to place they were taking them. They practically had to drag him whole way. Like a wild animal he was bitting, roaring, kicking them. It was bad enough that they captured him and locked him in _almost_ empty room and he was not glad that they wanted him to submit.  
He will not go down without fight.  
When they threw him out and closed the door behind him and his companions from cell, he promised them that next time someone lies hands on him, he shall bit their fingers off.  
"Though kid", commented some upir that was already there.  
"Sure he is", said Hugo who had to admit that he was impressed by boy's vehemence "Okay Red, enough with threats, he have a job to do."  
Thor listened but still glared at the door as he was walking away. He found himself in something that looked like canyon. Everywhere on the dusty ground were rocks colored like ashes. The sun was high on the sky and it was burning the ground.  
"What is the job that you speak of?"  
"We're building an arena."  
"Really?? Those things still exist?"  
"Well if they didn't, they will once again when we're finished."

  
Transferring bricks was hard. But he had no choice so Thor didn't complain. They were all working equally hard after all.  
He has never seen so namy different species on one place. Well, ignoring the fact that the _only_ species he has seen is frost giant, dwarf, goblin amd whatever Bruce was, he still didn't figured out. He could have be a fae, as he had animal features.  
On his right was some minotaur. He watched his big horns thinking how they were sharp enough to cut one's stomac and organs and tear them apart. The bull-looking creature was ripping a fabric of his shirt and started to wipe the blood on his leg. Whose blood it was, his or someone else's, Thor did not wish to know.  
He has seen satyr, upirs, trolls, nymphs and many more he couldn't name. He was delighted and aslo terrified at the same time. _Will I come from this place alive? Will I even come?_ He felt iron hands of fear grip his heart and his brain was going faster than he could process.  
He wanted to be home more that ever.  
He wanted to be by something he knew.  
He wanted to be with Bruce now more than ever.  
"Hey Red, time-out is over, bring me that brick over there."

Somewhere around noon doors opened again, and guards came out to select all the captors.  
"Grandmaster wants to speak to you all."  
"Who is that they speak of?" whispered Thor.  
"He's the guy who runs this place."  
"Then I shall speak to him."  
"That's not how things work here, Red."  
Before he could say anything to that he dumped into someone.  
And that someone happens to be large rock man.  
"Apologies, I did not see you."  
"Oh my god I'd recognize that funny way of speaking everywhere!"  
And Thor would recognize that voice everywhere.  
"Bruce!"  
Behind the creature came out curly headed boy who had the largest smile he had seen on him "Thor!" named he back.  
They crashed into bond breking hug, their hands wrapped around each other so tightly like if they let go, the other would disappear in dust.  
"I feared you left me", whispered Bruce.  
"Never", said Thor firmly yet softly, like he meant it. And he did.  
"You promise?" he burried his face into the tallers boy neck. Behind all of smell of the forest and dirt, he smelled like the saltwater of the sea mixed with ozone right before the storm.  
"You have my word."

______________________________________

It turned out Grandmaster was few years older that Thor and Bruce. He had messy gray hair that looked like it was made of spiders webs and blue streaks painted on his face. He looked relaxed and his eyes showed general interest in people watching him. He looked at them as they were his toys.  
"Hello everyone, ladys and gentlemens, and the others, you came here to-"  
"You mean you brought us here."  
"Gosh does that elv _ever_ keeps _quiet_?" Bruce heard Thor mutter under his breath.  
The woman next to Grandmaster pulled some kind of scepter with big sandy yellow ball and reached it out to him.  
"What? No I don't need meelting scepter he _interrupted_ me. It's not a crime."  
The woman made a face but put object down anyway.  
Grandmaster turned back to them "Now, we have a new ones in our crew, some half-man-half-goat-"  
"Satyr!" angrily said voice in the crowd.  
"Okay, satlir, some fae, little boy with dog ears,"  
_'_ _Wolf ears'_ corrected Bruce in his head.  
"and a _human child,_ people."  
Whispers could be heard and few eyes turned to Thor who seemed like he didn't care that they talked about him, but Bruce could see that he was he was putting a brave face. He came closed to smaller boy as he felt a urge to protect.  
"Blondie wears red cloak around it's adorable", continued strange captor.  
"Red _cape_ ", muttered Thor through his teeth. He could see that he was irritated by this person.  
"Anyway I wanted to say hi to our newbies and explain how things are. I _found_ you, and now you belong to me. You work for me. Congratulations."  
"I belong to no one!" yelled Thor. Bruce mentally cursed in himself and repeated of one his rules of survival: _keep quiet_. Everyone knew how the ones with big mouth end up. But still he was a little bit proud when Thor stood up for himself. Even if he was a stranger in this place, even if he was human beneath the creatures, even if he was knowingly and much to his sadness weaker compared to all around him, even if he was a child in the crowd of mans, he still didn't back up. He again saw determination in boy, his sharp eyes that reflected sky now focused on Grandmaster. He stood up for himself, something Bruce never did, and that awed him in every way.  
Nobody dared to say a word. Grandmaster, who didn't seem taken aback by the fact that someone was outdaring him, started amusingly lifting his eyebrow.  
"Are you sure about it Red?"  
That was rhetorical question that was still answered. But it was not Thor who defied Grandmaster, much to his surprise it was Bruce who firmly and dismissively said "Yes."  
On that Grandmaster grined like a fox, his eyes that sparkling with mischief, unwillingly reminding Thor of Loki, and now he felt as all weight of the rocks on this construction site was placing on his heart. Now he realized how small his chances of leaving this forest were. He would never see sun's rays that pass though treetops, never run beneath the trees without feeling of something behind him. He would never see his friends nor his family again. He felt as he could curl up in a ball and cry. And again he felt like child he was, alone in unfamiliar place where he was unwelcome.  
Bruce buried himself more in front of Thor if it was even possible, and Thor could swear he could hear growling.  
"Oh look, we have a watchdog here. Isn't that heartwarming?" mowed he "I don't know how is there where _you_ came from, but I assure you blondie that here is the rule of stronger."  
The boys glared at teenager that put them in chains "Beside I can always sell you. Humans are expensive on market and I can imagine how much a healthy human child as you is worthy."  
"You dare to lay a finger on him and I assure _you_ that you'll pay for it", there was something dangerous in Bruce's voice. Thor could see his veins changing color and his fur tickling.  
"And what are you gonna do about it dog boy?" laughed Grandmaster.  
" _Not dog,_ _ **wolf**_ ", growled boy. To Thor it did not sounded like Bruce, it sounded like there before him stood a completely different person. Like there was something else, _someone_ else there.  
And then his eyes flashed green.

He know he will turn. He knew it the second people landed their eyes on his friend. He felt it clawing out, _screaming_ at him to let go. It felt like his insides were tearing itself apart leaded by monstrous claws. He felt his body burning, he felt _pain everywhere._  
But he didn't fight it. For the first time he welcomed it. He needed to. He didn't want Thor to see him in his other form but even with Korg, Eitri and Hugo on their side they couldn't fight all those guards. He needed to turn. For Thor.  
With last strike of pain Bruce was no more.

He saw red. Red everywhere. Red were rocks around him. Red were punny people that were surrounding him. This time it was not just anger that he felt, he felt aggressiveness, fear and need to _protect_. To protect something that was dear to him. Protect _someone_.  
He jumped at first creature near him, barring his teeth in their soft meat.

Thor watched as Bruce's bones shigted through his shirt. He was ripping his skin off and his face was twisting in grimaces of pain. Thor felt sick watching his friend hurt. He wanted to wrap himself and his cape around him and whisper that everything will be well. How he shall protect him and let nothing harm him.  
But he found himself confused, scared and frozen, not knowing what to do. What scared him the most, was that beside all pain, he did not make a single _sound_.  
On place where Bruce's ripped tanned skin was grew green fur, and his face deformed into muzzle. Bruce whimpered when his hands shifted to opposite angle, and he started _growing_. He slowly stood up on all fours and started to shake like a dog would when it was wet after running in the rain.  
Where Bruce stood now was great green wof.

______________________________________

His had hurted and he felt disoriented. He could smell smoke, witch meant there was a fire around. He felt unusually warm and confused as he blinked through his wet dirty lashes, but world he saw was nothing but a blure of mixed watery colors and unformed shapes.  
His eyes shoot wide open as he it all came to him. The chains, Korg, arena. Finding Thor. The creepy teenager that claimed everyone and treated in selling Thor. Him turning _in front_ of Thor.  
_Oh God was Thor okay?!_  
"When were you gonna tell us you have a _wolf_ for a friend?!" he could hear elv screamed.  
"Please stop yelling at boy", so the drawf was here too. Good to know. He still didn't sit up thought.  
At the sound at blonde's voice right above him, Bruce froze.  
"I thought he was a fae. That he only had animal features. And I also thought wolfs were ordinary ones except bigger."  
"And they are. He is different. I don't know how, maybe he used a spell. However wolfs are rare. I thought these species lived in furder parts of the forest."  
"They were _supposed_ _to._ I don't know how _he_ is not there,", spated elv "behind the barrier."  
"Barrier?" repeated Thor.  
Eitri slowly nodded, bitting a piese of meat that before in his hand was in fire "Even here there are creatures that are too dangerous for these woods. Sorcerers put a barrier on part of forest were they were the most", he paused as he took another bite "nobody was been there since."  
"I tought that Dark Forest was mysterious enough, but having darker part in the dark forest? You are crossing all the limits there."  
"There are not limits here, Red", shoke Hugo and then he trowed a broken tree branch in the fire and it beautifully lighten up and danced in orange and yellow sparks "as for that friend there of yours? He's a _monster_."  
At those words Bruce's body tensed.

 _"You're a monster. You're not one of our kind and you're not one of_ them. _You are a freak. And abomination of our two worlds. You should of died the night you were born."_  
_Bruce cried as he listened to his words, pain in his chest was becoming worse, and blood was pouring of his teeth shaped wound._  
_He couldn't breathe._  
_He couldn't_ breathe.

"You shall not speak of Bruce in that way!" yelled Thor thankfully snaping him back from his painful memories. _Was he standing up for him? Why in world whould he do that?_  
"It's true! After all all creatures are monsters to _you, humans._ And _he,_ is a monster even to us who are called monsters!"  
Blue eyes were piercing though little man and he could feel like storm was about to break. In the distance, thunder chrashed out of nowhere "Do not", he spoke slowly, his voice as low as it could be posible for a kid, parting every said word "speak of my friend in that manner elv, or even Allfather won't stop me from breaking you."  
_Wow_. _Was it possible that he was so cheerful when they meet?_  
He decided that silence that field was perfect time for him to 'wake up', before two hotheads start fighting again.  
"Mhhmmm....Thor?" he faked waking up "where are we?"  
"Bruce! You are awake! Are you feeling well?"asked Thor who now put his hands on his shoulders.  
"Yeah...", he sat up "I just have a little headache, that's all..."  
Thor immediately stood up and took some bottle and then gave it to him "Here, drink water. It will help."  
After Bruce took a few sips of blessed colorless drink, his sight cleared and his attention had the red covers he had.  
"Hey Thor, is this your cape?" He learned not to call it cloak by now as it angered smaller boy.  
"Aye."  
"Why did you give it to me?"  
"So you do not get sick."  
"But you didn't take it off since we meet."  
"And I do not take it off but you needed it more than I did."  
"That's...thanks."  
"Your very welcome", and then he flashed one of those blinding smiles of his showing his perfect teeth, and Bruce felt his centar of balance shifters.  
Then he noticed that one was missing.  
"Where's Korg?"  
All of their eyes refused to meet his gaze. At the end it was Thor that spoke "After you...there was chaos in rhe construction site. Creatures panicked, guards fought you. We broke one of the doors and I succeed in calming you down. You come to to your human form again and we started escaping. Korg left to stop guards from catching up to us."  
Bruce hold his breath. He didn't make it. He didn't make it in escaping because of _hi_ _m._ He felt all familiar guilt ruse in his chest.  
"It's all my fault, Thor we need to come back! He can't leave him there!"  
"Bruce it's bot your fault", Thor said looking him in the eyes "He did it to save us all. And we will save him one day. But now there is nothing we can do."  
Bruce stayed quiet.  
"Now that we are finished with catching up how about you tell us how are you not behind barrier and how the hell are you in human form?!" yelled Hugo.  
"How about I punch you again?!" snapped Thor.  
"Both of you shut up!" cutted them Eitri's strong voice "Now, Bruce, wpuld you please explain us what happened there."  
Bruce looked down "I turned..."  
"We figured that out genius."  
"Shut up Hugo, no I mean are you a shapeshifter?"  
_Huh, he wished._  
"No", said he honesty, as there was no point in lying "I am a wolf."  
"Half wolf" said Thor, pieses of puzle in his mind now coming together "You said your mother was human."  
Bruce kept his gaze on some distant nonexisting spot. He didn't say anything this time.  
"So how did you two even meet?" Eitri changed the subject.  
"He saved me from frost giants!" yelled Thor proudly, fondly smiling at his fiend and then took a small piece of meat that Eitri offered him.  
"So what are you two even doing? Cause Red, I gotta say, you are far from home."  
"Mhmmmm these howler", said he with full mouths, his cheeks nessy with meat fat "as you call them,I like them...ANOTHER!"  
"Jesus Red, don't cream, ask nicely."  
Thor just looked confused "But I just did."  
"What you scream whenever you like something. Maybe throw glasses too?" Hugo announced.  
"Aye", said little boy, without track of sarcasm.  
"Well", Bruce explained "here when you want something you ask nicely."  
Thor pooked thoughtful and then turned his sapphires to dwarf "May I have another please?" his voice sounded like he younger than he already was, thin and unsure.  
"Of course little one."  
"How did you manage to hunt that despicable creature?" asked Hugo while swallowing his bite, his pale blue eyes fixed on dark haired giant.  
"It is all just skill, experience and little bit of luck."  
Elv hummed "So you never answered the question. What are you doing actually?"  
"I think I have already told you I am looking for my friend."  
"Oh yes, the dead friend."  
Thor glared at him "Heimdal is not dead!"  
"Did you just said _Heimdalll_?" Eitri's eyes were wide and he stopped eating in half of his bite.  
"Yes it is his name."  
"Guardian of Bifrost", whispered dwarf to himself.  
"You know him!" cheered Thor.  
"I'll be damned but yes I know him...he is really missing?" he asked with disbelieve.  
"He was not by Bifrost", said simply Thor, enough ti explain everything to Eitri, but not and other two.  
"So guardian of Bifrost is missing. Great, that's just what we needed", announced Hugo sarcastically.  
Eitri looked thoughtful, and his face older, wiser "I might know where he is, and I can show you where to go, but there I will not follow you, and I am sure Hugo won't either", he pointed with his index finger a direction beyond the trees "on the edge of dark part of the forest and barrier, there in the heart of the forest is a big tree that never moves. Yggdrasil. It stands there since the dawn of time and it never goes away. There is where his kind, a old kind, find their strength."  
"Big guy was right, I sure as hell not go there."  
Thor stared at the dancing edges of flames that overflow in warn colors of fallen leafs in the fall "Very well", he said "I shall not make you come with me. Bruce that means for you too. If it is too dangerous I shall continue my search alone."  
"I know dark barrier. I've been there and I'm not afraid of it. I will come ith you."

They smiled at each other. _Together till the end of the line._

"Well then rest, as there is a long way in front of you" said dwarf.

They all fell in dreamless sleep.

______________________________________

The path Eitri showed them was just as he said - barely walkable. There is no wonder there was a barrier as it was hard to get to there. It was place of dense oaks and bushes, there was weed and rocks everywhere, fallen trees that lied openly on the ground, on some places as close flock of fishes in the ocean.

_"I wish you luck. Be careful. And if you find Heimdall tell him that his friend Eitri wants to give him a_ talk _cause of making this sunshine here worried."_  
_"I wouldn't worry for them. This one turns into big scary dog, and Red here gives hell of a hits", grined Hugo_  
_"His cloak is red,_  
_His eyes are blue,_  
_Don't make him mad,_  
_He will punch you."_  
_They all shared a good laugh at that._  
_"But really, it is a cape."_  
_Hugo just waved him of._  
_"Well goodbye my friends. I hope we will meet each other someday", said Thor and his eyes shone like drops of the rain in the sunny morning._  
_"I hope it won't be with you punching my face again. If you are this strong now, then I can imagine you when you're bigger."_  
_"He won't just punch you then", laughed Bruce "he will beat you up."_  
_"True", stated Eitri._  
_And with their last goodbyes, dwarf and elv were left alone were paths meet and go._  
_"You know, I'll miss Red. Even though he punched me. Maybe even wolf boy. He did save us."_  
_"I know."_  
_"I have a feeling there is a long road before them."_  
_Dwarf smiled_ _"_ I know. _"_

 

"Hey do trees move?" asked Thor suddenly while jumping across some big tree .  
"What?"  
"I was thinking, if trees move, that would explain why when I went into forest I couldn't see Bifrost anymore."  
Bruce was deep in his thoughts "Yes they move...but not that fast. They stay for months before they get to different location. When did you noticed trees on place of Bifrost?"  
"The moment I turned around."  
"The last time they moved was few weeks ago. That shouldn't be possible", then he quietly added "It's like forest didn't want you to leave."  
Thor didn't say anything.  
It was a while before Bruce broke the silence again "How old are you?"  
"I shall be 9 this summer."  
"Huh, I'm 11."

 

"You mentioned having a brother" noted Bruce.  
"Oh yes, Loki. eH is my younger brother. He is real trickster, always seeking trouble, though I cannot say I myself do not do the same. And he is really smart", Thor smiled at the mention of Loki, even though it pained him the possibility of not seeing him again. Then he looked at cloak he wore "You know Loki has one similar. Our mother sewed them. She made me mine red, and his green."  
"Does he wears it as much as you do?"  
"He wears it often, but I always wear it."  
"I could guess. Red suits you tho."  
Bruce know he was right the moment he saw Thor blush.

 

______________________________________

 

"Do you hear that?"  
Silver ball replaced golden burning orb yet again, and many sounds could be heard.  
"On which do you mean?" asked he and moon reflected in his azure orbs.  
"The one that sounds like scratching."  
He focused on the song of the night that surrounded them "Yes", he said finally.  
"It sounds creepy but it really is nothing to fear of", then boy chukled "Well if you don't upset them."  
Then he gently took Thor's hand "Come."  
They went to tall grass that lightly swinged on the wind. Bruce's hand went through it and thousands of light began floating im the air.  
No, not thousands. _Hundreds._  
They looked like fireflies but they were bigger. They looked like stars but they were brighter. Closer. Like he was beyond those night lighters, close enough to touch them. He felt as whole universe was there, in forest that he feared and yet tried to enter. Like fate found its way to bring him here.  
Just like those wisps that brought him to Bruce.

 

One of those lights langed on his forehead. He lifted his eyes and saw upside down little face that stared right in his eye, its hair was falling right on his nose. _Her_ hair.  
_Fairy._  
"Hello!" greeted Thor excitedly.  
Little girl smiled and waved with her little hand. She glowed so bright that Thor wondered how he did not go blind.  
"You are very pretty", and it was true. Girl had eyes that were like crystals that shone on the sun rays and her features were perfectly symmetric and her hair golden with silver dust.  
She looked like perfection.  
The fairy flew from his forehead and onto his cheak, leaning on it with her fragile hands while her neon wings shifted with spead not posible to follow, where she gave him a little kiss that left golden dust where her full lips connected with his skin.  
Then she flew away, back to constellation of little girls that were made of light, just like she was.

 

And then he realized that he finally understood the beauty his mother was talking about.

 

Then he felt wight in his right hand, and turned to it was Bruce's hand.  
He looked at his shy caramel eyes. Then made his grip in his hand stronger.  
Bruce grined, and Thor laughed.

 

It was a joyful laugh, laugh at unbelievable lights they found, as beautiful as stars.

 

______________________________________

 

"We are here", said Bruce.  
Thor saw nothing.  
"And where is barrier then?"  
Bruce said nothing as he took one gray rock from the ground and trow it at the tree.  
Expect it didn't hit it.  
It landed on some invisible wall and with green flash rock landed back before their feats.  
" _That_ is a barrier."  
But Thor was already looking for a tree.  
"Come Bruce!" said he "We must find Yggdrasil!"  
"How are you even saying those names", muttered Bruce as he hurried to get to younger child.

 

They've been searching till the noon. And they found nothing.  
"Maybe dwarf lied to us."  
"He would do no such thing!"  
"Thor, we've been looking for hours and we've got nothing. I grew up it by this edge and I don't remember ever seeing some big magic tr-"  
Thor put a hand on his mount shutting him up. Bruce was ready to argue but when he followed Thor's sight he saw blue flame a few feats from them.  
More wisps materialized from air and made a line that went along the path he and Thor have already been.  
Before he could say anything Thor stepped up following the glowing orbs of cold floating fire.  
' _This is madness'_ he thought but went after Red.

 

______________________________________

 

Wisps were no good. But they were no evil too. They just showed you the way. You chose to follow them.  
And they lead Thor to Yggdrasil.  
After a while when wisps stopped at the edge of the barrier didn't see tree, but he didn't have to. He felt magic being strongest here. He could feel it radiating all over the place. He could feel it creaping around his body, finding it's way into his veins, his blood. He felt _life_.  
He closed his eyes. It was like he was on thread and it was slowly pulling him forward. His body relaxed and he felt as he was crossing another bridge, yet this time invisible.

 

Bruce ran but it was too late and Thor already disappeared in flash of green.  
"Greetings", Bruce jumped at sudden voice. When he turned around he saw man they were looking for - large, strong tanned man in armor with giant sword that matched his golden eyes.  
"You must be Heimdall."  
"Indeed I am and you are Bruce."  
"How do you know that?"  
His question was ignored "We do not have much time, Thor is in danger. Will you help me?"  
He answered without question, without hesitation or second thought.  
"Yes."

 

______________________________________

 

He did not remembered Yggdrasil like a tree. He remembered it like feeling of life. Feeling of power and feeling of infinity. He remembered knowing an answer of his search. Everything else was a blur, like a pool of raindrops after downpour in early spring.  
Then he felt darkness taking him. He remembers emerald fire surrounding him, not letting him breath, the coldness in the air. Here was magic different than anywhere in the forest. It was _darker_. He felt great oppsite of Yggdrasil.  
And then he saw tall silhouette, black as midnight, with deer-like horns. It was walking among the flams like they were grass.  
On the light on flames he could clearly see sharp features of a young woman with piercing emerald eyes that matched flames around them.  
"You have Odin's blood", it wasn't a question her cold voice bringed.  
"Who are you?" She did not answered. She just kept her gaze on him, _analysing_ him.  
"You don't look like him."  
"Who are you?" he repeated.  
She spoke nothing. And then she grined like a cat that had mouse in its claw.  
There was something familiar with her.  
From the darkness that was around him, right behind her, stepped forward a giant black wolf, larger than Bruce, _pureblood_ wolf. Its eyes were matched his master's, glowing just like the flames he was standing in.

 

And then he was roughly pulled back by his cloak, and teared out of dark magic that captured him.

 

______________________________________

 

When he woke up he saw Heimdall and Bruce above them, asking if he was hurt. And like Bruce said, Heimdall eyes were color of his sword.  
"What happened?"  
"You were in barrier and I turned so I could get you out."  
Thor nodded.  
"Thor what did you see there?" askes carefully Heimdall.  
Thor's tired eyes looked pale at the memory. The woman he saw didn't responded him but he perfectly know what she was.  
"Death."

 

Sun started rising, while touching ground with its burning red suffice, bruise blue and purple overflowing in fire orange and gold.  
"Thor, we shall go", said Heimdall. Thor never saw him hesitate, but as they say, there is first time for everything.  
He wanted to come back to his family. To his friends. But his young soul wanted to stay, to seek adventure.  
And his heart - it went both ways.  
And when he looked at Bruce's caramel orbs, he knew couldn't. He couldn't leave _him_.  
"I promised I wouldn't leave."  
"Thor, just go", spoke Bruce's tired voice.  
"It's okay, Thor", it was painful for him to say "Just go."  
It really was okay in its hurting way. Cause in the end, everybody leaves. They leave cause Bruce has nothing to give them.  
And that's how it should go with Thor.  
Looking at those sea eyes, he felt as he could drown in them. As he could drown in waves of emotions, drow in its depth that hid whole new world in it.  
"I will come back."  
Bruce shook his head. He won't.  
"Bruce I assure you", said Thor firmly, with stubbornness "I _will_ come back to you."  
And then he took his blood red cape of, and reached his hands to Bruce's neck.  
And he put it on him.  
"ThorIcan'ttakethisit'syo-"  
"It is a promise", he cutted him while looking him in the eyes "a promise that I will come back for that _and_ for _you_."  
And then Red rised on his tiptoes and his pink lips landed on Wolf's cheek. His fured ears pooped up in surprise and his face went as red as the cape he was now waering. It felt as if the most majestic flower bloomed inside of him and took all his breath away when its gentle petals tickled his heart.  
"Goodbye Bruce", said he and disappeared in rainbow that left intricate prind in the ground, leaving Bruce dumbfounded in the middle of The Dark Forest.

 

Like a thunder, Thor has come into his life and shaken it like it was a bout in sea storm. But sea storms pass and bouts are left changed, different. Some may break. Some may become stronger but it is rare to meet the same storm again.  
But Bruce smelled ozone on his back where cape was elegantly falling and smiled, and he felt something he hadn't felt since he was safe in his mother's arms.

 

Maybe it's not truth what people say.  
Maybe lightning does strikes twice.

 

And where lightning is there is also thunder.

 

**Author's Note:**

> ______________________________________
> 
>  
> 
> Okay people this is my work for Thruce Week Day 6: AU. Chuck it was hard writting this on vocation where WiFi sucks and you're mostly on the beach and walking misfortune as I am I got sick, but I did it!! Even tho reading and writing fanfictions became my night activity apparently lol XD I hope you like my work I think you'll think it's crap but like Adele says "AT LEAST I CAN SAY THAT I'VE TRIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED"  
> Bear with my horrible writing and English please and if you come to this note, THANK YOU for giving time for my work!! I hope you liked it! I know it's HELA long (ha get it XD lol my humor sucks)  
> I was thinking about writing part 2 but only if anyone even likes this story.  
> You can also find this fanfic on Wattpad  
> Now I have to go cause my bro will probably kill me for not going to beach on time. CHUCK HAVE MERSY ON ME  
> ~bifrostie


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